When fathers manage sons

By
Phil Elderkin /
August 4, 1982

During Earl Weaver's six day suspension for striking an umpire, interim Baltimore Orioles pilot Cal Ripken Sr. set a big league record for most games in which a man managed a team on which his son played. Cal Ripken Jr. is the Orioles' shortstop. The previous mark belonged to Connie Mack of the old Philadelphia Athletics, whose son Earl played five games under him over a three-year period. . . . Philadelphia second baseman Manny Trillo finally made an error after handling 479 consecutive chances flawlessly through 89 games. Trillo's miscue came against the Chicago Cubs, when he backhanded Bill Buckner's grounder in the seventh inning and then dropped the ball. Manny's only other error so far this season was committed on opening day, when he made a poor throw on a rundown play. Joe Morgan holds the major league mark for second basemen of 91 consecutive games without an error, set over two seasons with the 1977-78 Cincinnati Reds.

They all make mistakes, and the Atlanta Braves may have made the biggest of the year when they approved an early season trade of pitcher Larry McWilliams to the Pittsburgh Pirates. McWilliams, who has become the ace of the Pirates' staff , has yet to turn in a poor performance. One reason Atlanta gave up on Larry may have stemmed from a history of arm and shoulder problems that developed after his 9-3 rookie record in 1978. . . . Pitcher Tommy John has asked the New York Yankees to trade him, and will probably get his wish. Hard-hitting outfielder Jack Clark, who has issued a similar request to the San Francisco Giants, hasn't much chance of being dealt to another club, according to team General Manager Tom Haller.

Darrell Johnson, who was replaced as manager of the Boston Red Sox a little more than six years ago by Don Zimmer, now has Zimmer's former job as bench boss of the Texas Rangers. Most baseball people feel that the next American League manager to be fired will probably be Tony LaRussa of the Chicago White Sox, who during the winter is a practicing lawyer in Florida.